Album: Attack of the Grey Lantern by Mansun (1997)
Genre: Indie | Style: Rock/Pop | Mood: Confrontational
Record Label: Parlophone
Format: Album

Description: Opening with the swirling, cinematic strings of "The Chad Who Loved Me," Mansun's debut album, Attack of the Grey Lantern, is anything but a conventional Brit-pop record. Few debut records are this assured, especially when a group is developing such an idiosyncratic, individual style. Mansun recalls many artists -- Suede, Manic Street Preachers, Tears for Fears, David Bowie, ABC, Blur, Prince -- without sounding exactly like any of them. Attack of the Grey Lantern is a grandiose, darkly seductive blend of new wave and '90s indie rock, filled with phased guitars, drum machines, and subversive, off-kilter song structures, many of which wind past five minutes. No song is ever quite what it seems -- "Mansun's Only Love Song" balances between soul and fractured pop, "Stripper Vicar" has new wave backing vocals and hard-rock chords, while "Taxloss" marries Suede's dark glam rock with uneasy psychedelia. It's an ambitious, even pretentious, record, but Mansun has enough confidence and skill to make it an astonishingly original debut.

Artist Background: Mansun were formed in Chester in 1995 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, lead guitarist/ backing vocalist Dominic Chad, bassist Stove King and drummer Andie Rathbone. Arriving on the Britpop-dominated scene as a beat-driven art rock band, Mansun liberally mixed progressive rock, psychedelia, art pop, shoegaze, 80's noir and electronic elements; instead of singles releasing numerous multi-format EPs bookended by concept albums, often changing their style (and peculiar uniforms) each rel... Part of the Chester, England, UK music scene. Emerged in the 1990s era. Associated with Indie movement. Known for Rock/Pop style.

Related Artists: Kula Shaker, The Bluetones, Shed Seven, Suede

Music Scene: Part of the Chester, England, UK music scene. Emerged in the 1990s era. Associated with Indie movement. Known for Rock/Pop style.

Tags: Indie, Rock/Pop, Confrontational, 1990s, Album, Parlophone

Additional Context: Rating score: 8. Based on 1 votes. Available on Discogs marketplace


Opening with the swirling, cinematic strings of "The Chad Who Loved Me," Mansun's debut album, Attack of the Grey Lantern, is anything but a conventional Brit-pop record. Few debut records are this assured, especially when a group is developing such an idiosyncratic, individual style. Mansun recalls many artists -- Suede, Manic Street Preachers, Tears for Fears, David Bowie, ABC, Blur, Prince -- without sounding exactly like any of them. Attack of the Grey Lantern is a grandiose, darkly seductive blend of new wave and '90s indie rock, filled with phased guitars, drum machines, and subversive, off-kilter song structures, many of which wind past five minutes. No song is ever quite what it seems -- "Mansun's Only Love Song" balances between soul and fractured pop, "Stripper Vicar" has new wave backing vocals and hard-rock chords, while "Taxloss" marries Suede's dark glam rock with uneasy psychedelia. It's an ambitious, even pretentious, record, but Mansun has enough confidence and skill to make it an astonishingly original debut.

Attack of the Grey Lantern

Mansun

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